Friday, August 04, 2006

Embracing Dhimmitude

This sect of Orthodox Jews always shows up at rallies of the extreme Left. You will also see them at any public protest in favor of Islam, Muslims, Palestinians and against Israel.

The picture at the left of these Dhimmi Jews was taken at a recent Leftist/Muslim demonstration in London. I have edited the signs so their intended meaning is clearer. In the words of Dan Rather you could say the signs are "fake but accurate."  Unfortunately, the originals are no longer posted online.  However, I have added some other pictures of this same sect below, to show them for what they are:  cowards and enablers of tyranny and traitors to the cause of Israel.

Several writers have described how dhimmis, in order to secure favor from their Muslim oppressors, have often sought "common ground" with the Muslims so as to be seen as non-threatening and more deserving of mercy. I think this sect of Jews is a good example of that.

According to Robert Spencer in his book Onward Muslim Soldiers, Christians in Muslim lands often tried to curry favor with their Muslim oppressors. Spencer writes the Christians "tried to integrate themselves into Islamic society by being anti-Zionist." The orthodox Jews in the photograph are applying the same strategy. If they are sufficiently anti-Zionist, maybe the ferocious Muslims won't kill them.

Spencer writes that the dhimmi mindset continues for Christians in many parts of the Middle East. He writes "Christian communities native to the Middle East today exhibit the scars of centuries of inferiorization and marginalization. They constitute living relics of the ravages of a system that, although technically abolished in many modern Arab states, continues on the level of official as well as well as popular attitudes and practices."

This same principle also would apply to Jews living in the Middle East, as Christians and Jews are no different to Islamic governments. They are both "people of the book," subject to the same marginlization under Sharia law.

Dhimmis on Display
Neo-dhimmis or not, the Jewish sect in the picture are morally reprehensible. They are giving moral support to the Islamic fanatics who have killed thousands of Jews in Israel and are continuing to kill them. They may think they are saving their own sorry butts from jihad, but they do so at the expense of innocent Jewish life in Israel. Disgusting!

Note: I tried to find a good definition of dhimmitude on the web, but they seem to be generalities with no specifics or examples.

Dhimmitude is a condition of subservience granted to "people of the book" (POB) (Christians and Jews) who are conquered by Muslim armies. The POB are required to sign a contract by which they may continue to draw breath in their own conquered homeland. If they fail to live up to the contract, jihad may resume and the dhimmis (people living under dhimmitude) may be put to death or sold into slavery.

The dhimmi contract generally included the following:
1. Dhimmis live in a second class condition within the society they inhabit.
2. Dhimmis are not allowed to vote or hold public office.
We Demand Slavery Now!
3. Dhimmis must pay a steep tax, called the Jihza, and do so under humiliating conditions: they must pay the tax in person where they are either spit on or slapped. The tax is a heavy financial burden, but if you can't pay it, you're dead. Some dhimmis who couldn't pay were forced to turn over their children as payment. The children were then raised as Muslims.
4. Dhimmis must dress differently than Muslims, e.g. with broad cloth belts, shoes of different color on opposite feet, or no shoes at all, and must shear their forelocks (the front part of their hair) so their dhimmi status is obvious.
5. Dhimmis must give way to Muslims on the sidewalk or street.
6. Dhimmis must give up their seat in any public place if a Muslim wishes to sit.
7. Dhimmis cannot build a house that is higher than Muslim houses in his neighborhood.
8. Dhimmis can only work in menial jobs like street sweeping or manual labor.
9. Dhimmis cannot renovate their churches or synagogues, so when they fall into disrepair they continue to deteriorate.
10. Dhimmis cannot display any symbol of their religion in public, like a cross, nor ring church bells or sing too loudly in their churches or synagogues lest they offend Muslims.
11. Dhimmis must house and feed any Muslim who passes their door for three days.
12. Dhimmis cannot prevent any of their family members from converting to Islam.
13. Dhimmis cannot attempt to convert any Muslim to their religion.
14. Dhimmi men cannot marry Muslim women, but Muslim men can marry Dhimmi women.
15. Dhimmis cannot be witnesses in court against Muslims.
16. Dhimmis cannot own or carry any weapons.
17. Dhimmis cannot fight with or injure any Muslim, even in self defense, under penalty of death.
18. Dhimmis are subject to execution for apostasy against the Prophet or the Qur'an. (This provision was often abused. When a Muslim wanted a dhimmi's land or house, he simply had to state the dhimmi had insulted the Prophet. Since a Muslim's word was always accepted over that of a dhimmi, the dhimmi's unjust execution or imprisonment was assured.)
19. In many cases, dhimmi children are not allowed to attend state schools or universities.

Once the dhimmi community fails to abide by these rules, they are subject to death, banishment or enslavement. The Armenian genocide in the early 20th century began after Armenians appealed to England to help ease their dhimmi status. The Turkish government considered this a breach of their dhimmi contract and proceeded to slaughter them (about 1.5 million Armenian dhimmis died.)

Through the ages dhimmis have often been murdered in mass by Muslim riots, or had their homes burned. Their existence has been fraught with high anxiety due to their status as social outcasts and their subjection to sudden violence or other oppression.

Is a condition of dhimmitude in your future? Yes, if Iran's leaders have anything to say about it. Muslims can give you three choices, and only three choices, under Islamic law: (1) convert to Islam and become a Muslim, (2) be killed or (3) accept dhimmi status.

We can adopt a fourth choice: determined resistance against this evil. Which will you choose?

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